Swiss canton bans watering after trapping Japanese beetles

Canton introduces measures following the discovery of Japanese beetles in Zug and Baar Keystone-SDA

Twenty-two Japanese beetles have been caught in the Swiss city of Zug and its neighbouring municipality of Baar. To prevent the pest from spreading further, measures have been put in place across large parts of the canton.

To determine whether and where the Japanese beetle is spreading, the canton has set up a network of traps, as it announced on Thursday.

The canton has issued measures for the area affected by the beetle. Until the end of September, lawns and green spaces in the infested area must not be watered. This is intended to reduce the likelihood of the larvae surviving in the soil, as they require moisture to develop.

Flowers, vegetables and pot plants may be watered. Furthermore, no topsoil may be removed from the infested area.

Special regulations also apply to the area surrounding the infested area, known as the buffer zone. No plant material from garden maintenance may be removed from either the infested area or the buffer zone.

Transport within the same zone is permitted. The canton has announced that the local authority’s green waste collection service can still be used.

The Japanese beetle can cause significant damage. It attacks maize plants, fruit trees, berries and vines, as well as ornamental plants and lawns. The aim is therefore to eradicate the beetle, Zug said.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.